Swtich.



J. M. .PHINOUS.

SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 2. 1917.

' Patented Apr.

INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORTEY JAMES M. PI-IINOUS, or rAMrLIN, VIRGINIA,ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF TO JUNIOR- JOHNSON, or rnosrnc'r, VIRGINIA.

SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 3t), 1915..

Application filed November 2, 1917. Serial No. 199,910.

I To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. PHINOUS, a citizen of the United tates,residing at Pamplin, in the county of Appomattox and State of Virginia,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switches, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention consists of a switch adapted to connect a side track orbranch line to a main line and wherein the main line rail sections aremaintained in a continuous state thus avoiding the use of a frogwhosepoints are subjected to wear and the use of which causes a gap thatpermit excessive pounding as the wheels of the vehicle pass over thegap.

One object of the present invention is to provide a switch wherein themain line rail sections are maintained in a substantially continuousstate at the crossover.

Another object is to provide a bridging track element which serves tomake a substantially continuous joint between the rails of the sidetrack.

Still another object is to provide a frogless switch which has the sidetrack rails slightly elevated at the point where they cross the mainlinerail sections, and connect the rail sections with an interposed trackelement which is adapted to engage with a main line rail and be firmlyheld in position thereon.

A further object is to provide a track element hingedly mounted on abase plate forming the connecting element and having a rail section onthe upper surface and ad jacent one edge, and a rail engaging lug onvthe under surface to cooperate with a main line rail section.

Broadly stated the invention comprises a frogless switch'having anelement hingedly secured to the base plate, said element being adaptedto removably engage with a continuous rail section to complete aninterrupted section leading to a side track, the ends of which rail areslightly elevated adjacent the point of abutment, and means for movingthe element and the points of the switch.

One practical form of construction and assembly will be described andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a topplane view of the switch showing the several points of the invention,Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the element that is employedat the cross over, and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed perspective view showing the element inits raised posi- 6 and 'l' are the main line track rail sections.

The rail indicated at 6 is adapted to be curved so that it will becontinuous with the side track rail 8.. The main line rail 6 terminatesin a switch point indicated at 9. The side track rail 10 terminatesadjacent the main rail 6. As shown it is preferably provided with anangular face 11.

Between the main line rails 6 and 7 there, is disposed a continuation 12of the side track rail 10. This rail has its end adjacent the rail 6provided with an angular end 13. Thus a gap is formed through whichpasses the main rail 6. The rail 12 is provided at its other end with aswitch point 14:. The two switch points indicated at 9 and 14 may beconnected by a bridle bar 15 adapted to hold them in proper spacedrelation.

Other bridle bars may be used if desired. The switch points 9 and 14 areso arranged and formed that they may be placed to con tact with theinner surface of either of the rails 6 and 7 When the point 9 lies adj acent the rail 6 the point 1 L is spaced from the rail 7. Thus trafficpassing over the main line rails will not be diverted into or on to theside tracks through the rails 8 and 10. The rails 10 and 12 arepreferably elevated a slight distance so that their tread surface isabove the tread surface of the rail 6.

One means of maintaining this elevation is by employing a packing strip16. Any other means may be employed that will effectively hold the railsections in their proper elevated position. The tie indicated at 5 ispreferably longer than the regular length and one end thereof projectssufli ciently to have mounted thereon a bearing box 17. The box may besecured to the tie by any suitable means such as are indicated by thebolts 18.

The tie 56 is adapted to extend between the main line and side track andextend bearing boxes 17 and 19 are preferably placed in alinement sothat the crank shaft 20 may be rotatably mounted in the bearings. Thebox 19. may. be. secured to thetie 56 in any suitable manner.

One end of the crank shaft 20 may be provided with a bent end to form acrank 21. This crank is preferably formed upon the end which projectsbeyond the box 17. One end of the connecting rod 2% may be formed torotate on the bearing end of the Qrenk. a d be el theneen by. anySuitable means. The other end of the connectod. 22 may. bep ioa de witha su a l hol to. oip a W t a ro a 1 y means of a niretal enne t e 4,

The. other. end; of. thethrnw bar 23 may be uitably en ecte ith a hrid e-r 15 a ndicat d a '2 This. cennee on. 25 may. e any custemara ypehe.oth r end of the crank shaft 20 here it projects beyond the bearingbox19. is preferably provided; with an operating lever. indicated t 6, whice is. Pr v de wi a h ndle 27,

Asshonn he. ever t3c mprisestwo plate portions. lying. in, parallel,planes that are j ined! by a portion angularly disposed with referenceto both. spacedportions. One of'the straight portionslis adapted toprovide a pinotal connection, 28. with a. throw bar29 including, a link.The other end. of thethrow baris'adapted to have a pivotal connection30. with, the element 31. The element 31 serves asfasubstitute for. afrog. A baseplate 32 is adapted to extend from beneath the .r ail8.andhaveits other end secured beneath the rail 6.

As shown the plate may be substantially rectangular and; beprovided Withthe lugs 33: andi'3lf These lugs extend. upwardly from the uppersurface'of the plate 32 and they are providedJwith. holes'which are inalinement "with each other. These holes serve to accommodate a pin 35that is adapted to. pass through each of the lugs andfalso through a lugportion 36. formed integralwiththe element 31. Thus a hinged type of-joint. is formed for the element 31.

The lugs 33 and 34: are so positionedthat the element 31 is adaptedtolie upon the trackrailz6 and between the ends 11 and 13 of the rails10.and 12. As these ends are angularly formed. as before described theelement 31 has its corresponding corners angularly cut. as indicated: at37 and 38. This is'done so that'when the element 31 lies. upon the rail6 a substantially continuous joint. is formedbetweentherails 10v and12'. In. orderto moreeifectually provide for this the upper surface ofthe element 31 is formed with a' rail section 39. This section 39.Willthus form a treadsurfaceand the Wheels will ride over this point with, vry itt epounding- In order that theelenient 31 may be properlymaintained in its position upon the rail 6 the lug 10 is employed. Asshown the lug. is angularly disposedrwith reference to the long-itudinalaxis of the element. In other words the axis of the lug a0 approximatelycorresponds to one of the diagonals of the element 31.

' The lug 40 may be substantially rectangular inform have one of itsends placed adjacent the end 37 as shown in Fig. 3. When the element 31lies upon the. nail 6 the; s ngt'aceindicated at 11 will liesubstantially in contact. with the rail 6. In order to preaide fenhePassag of h hrow. bar toward. the element 31thc raihS. may be providedwith a suitable opening indicated at 12.

When it is desired to. operate the switch he handle 2 o e lever smorewhich o ate t e. c nk shaf au ing hec nk 1 0, change impos on.andlnonehe swi Poi ts.- nd a t e me ime h movement of the lever. 26 will cause,the throw bar 29.,to monetheelem ent 3. When the seyeral devices are, inthe position shown in Fig. 1 the element 31 is in place so that a trainapproaching from the left will pass into the sidetraekupon therails S.and 10. After the train haspassed into this. side track which if desiredmaybe a siding the lever 26 is operated. in, the reverse direction whchwill ro ate he elem t 3 en heba e p a e. 32 and placethe. point.- 9.adjacent, the rail 6 and the point l lrwill be removed fr.o1n ,contact.with the rail 7; The main line will: then be, open for, athroughtrafiic.

From the assembly of the several parts as describedit will be seen thatthe main line track rails are m aintained in. a, substantially contiuous ondi o adjacent. the point or Insteadof the usual method ofproviding a gap and two points. forming a portion of-the frog,thesepoints have been elii ninated so far, as the mainline is cone ned-The gap that isiorlned betweenthese rails at thepoints is filled inbythe element 31 which provides. a. Substantially continuous tread surfacefor the rails 10 and 12.

The element, 31 may bev formed. of. any suitable materialbnt it ispreferred. that. it

beinadetoreSiSt wear. in the same way that the, treads in the railsare.treated; In case of repairs or. renewals, it wilh not. necessitatethe, tearingupofi any portion of the track or road bed. o renew tisonly. ecessary towithdraw the 35; and to release the connection .0.The element may then be easily Withdrawnandanew one inserted.

In combinationwith a pair of main rails, siding rails, one of. whichinterscctsone of saidmain rails, a pair ofswitch points, one of saidsidingrailswhere it, intersectcd by one of said main rails having a gapor cutaway portion through which said intersecting lnain rail extends,thereby causing to be formed siding rail sections, the adj acent ends ofsaid siding rail sections being oppositely beveled, a base plate havingspaced lugs, a bridging frog plate pivoted I between said lugs anddesigned to overlap the ball of the intersecting niain'rail to fill insaid gap, said frog plate having a section of rail ball on its uppersurface extending from one of the outer corners of said frog plate tothe other corner, the outer corners of said frog plate and the ends ofthe section of said ball being beveled correspondingly to and designedto become positioned adjacent said beveled ends of the siding railsections, whereby said rail ball interconnects said siding railsections, the under face of the frog plate being provided with anenlarged bracing lug diagonally disposed toengage the side of the ballof the intersecting main rail, whereby said frog plate is reinforced andthe strains on its pivot relieved, when the frog plate is bridging themain rail, a shaft mounted in bearings of the ties and provided withcranks at both ends, said cranks having connections with the frog plateand the switch points respectively, and means for rocking said shaft forsimultaneously opening and closing the frog plate and the switch pointsrespectively.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' JAMES M. PHINOUS. Witnesses:

R. CURTIS HORNY, W. R. BRIGHTWELL.

bowler of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Waahimmon, h. '0.

